Todd's Saga 13: Plans

        Todd struggled to get his muscles back under control.  His tongue hurt where he had bitten it, and his wrists were chafed and raw from the straps.   There were blisters where the metal had come into contact with his skin burning him when the current hit him.  They added to the pain radiating up his arms.  His eyes were blurry, but he heard the door open.  He could make out the black shoes of his tormentor.

         “Ah good, you’re awake.  It’s time for more lessons.”  Baker reached and lifted Todd’s head.  He grinned, “Now you’re going to be a good boy and repeat after me, aren’t you?”  He forcibly shook Todd’s head in the affirmative. “That’s right.”   Letting Todd’s head drop, he patted the top of it. 

        Todd was unable to say anything.  Try as he might, he couldn’t get his thoughts together.  He needed to remember something.  ‘What was it?’

        Baker took the chair and slammed it hard on the floor in front of his prisoner.

        Todd jumped from the noise and attempted to lift his head. 

        “Good, that got your attention.  Let’s begin where we left off yesterday, shall we?  My name is Todd,” Baker snapped his finger in Todd’s face. “Repeat that please.”

       Todd’s vision was clearing.  He stared at the man transfixed, he tried to resist, but found himself repeating the man’s words “ My….name….is ….Todd.”  Yes, he was Todd but something wasn’t right. 

       “That’s very good.  Now, it's so easy, the next line, please...  I support the cause.” Baker continued.  

       Todd closed his eyes for a moment to avoid Baker’s stare.  ‘Can’t think.  No, don’t do it,  don’t listen to him.’                                                                                                    

        Baker watched Todd and saw him close his eyes. “Now, Todd, don’t be a bad boy.  It’s impolite to stop looking at the person you’re having a conversation with.” He reached over and clamped his hand down hard on Todd’s wrist.

        Todd jerked and hissed as the pain intensified, but he was grateful.  Baker had unknowingly provided what he needed to clear his head.  He opened his eyes, blinking away the tears.  He remembered everything now.  He had to find the strength to fight off the urge to give Baker what he wanted.  If he gave in, the pain would stop, but he would end up like Victor, another tool for Irene.

        For his part, Baker smiled as he once again had Todd’s attention. “That’s better.  Now, where were we?  Ah yes.  Repeat, please.  I support the cause. I will heed the Messenger.”  To get his point across, Baker squeezed the wrist once again.

        To Todd, it felt like someone had just clamped a molten cuff to his wrist.  He moaned and struggled to get the words out. “I...I..supp...I..” He bit his lip.  “I....hope you go straight to hell,”  he said through clenched teeth.  The room began to spin, and Todd stared in horror at Baker.  The hand on his wrist became skeletal, with flesh and sinew hanging in pieces from it.  Baker’s visage turned pasty white and began to decay, red hair erupted from his head as he turned into the grotesque image of Irene.  With a gaping red maw where her mouth used to be, she started laughing.

        “Son, we’re already there.“   

        Todd screamed as everything around him dissolved, and he was standing chained to the ground with fire all around him and his mother cackling in front of him.”

       He awoke abruptly. His chest hurt and he couldn’t catch his breath.  He was drenched in sweat.   He rolled over and grabbed Blair’s negligee where it lay next to him on the bed.  He had taken to keeping it close to him as he slept.  He buried his face in it, taking in her scent and used it to dispel the lingering effects of the nightmare.  His breathing settled down, and his heart rate slowed, easing the pain in his chest.

         He lay on the bed staring into the darkness unable to forget the dream.  He had hoped the move to New Orleans would have tempered the effects that Irene’s Compound still had on him, but in truth, nothing seemed to help.  The nightmares were happening with greater frequency and talking to Baker the night before had only exacerbated the problem.

****

        Twelve hours earlier

         It had been a little over a week since Blair and Viki had returned to Llanview. Todd sat at his desk looking at a copy of The Banner on the internet.   It was an article on Clint Buchanan.  It had been written in response to The Sun’s editorial exposing some of Clint’s shady deals that had come to light since his breakdown.  It appeared that Viki was still very much in love with Clint.  She was defending him.  He thought back to the conversation they had the night before Viki returned to Llanview.

        “You mean to say you haven’t seen Clint since the Gala?”

        “You need to understand.  Clint was completely out of his mind that night.  Natalie insisted on going and checking on him, but she came home saying he was screaming foul things and didn’t even recognize her.  She was heartbroken.  That was the last she saw of him.  The hospital has insisted that the family stays away because we seem to set him off.”

       “Doesn’t that bother you?   What about Bo?  Surely they’ve let him see Clint?” 

       “They’ve especially requested that Bo stay away.  Much of Clint’s anger is directed at Bo and me right now.”  Viki’s voice trembled. She was obviously not as calm about the whole thing as she was trying to sound.

        Blair reached across the couch to touch her hand. “Viki, he’s not well.  You know he loves you.”

        Viki clasped Blair’s hand then straightened her shoulders and smiled at her brother. “Todd, don’t worry about Clint.  They’ll let us visit him when he’s better.  I’m sure they know what they’re doing.  He really wasn’t well the night of the Gala, and if we have to wait, we wait.”

        Seeing her resolve not to worry, Todd had let the subject drop that night..  Now as he looked at the article he felt uneasy.  Clint was still being isolated from his family.  Something didn’t make sense.  The only reason they would keep the family away, was because he was dangerous.  He might have fallen off the rails, but Todd couldn’t see him ever hurting Viki or anyone else in his family. What are you going to do, Todd?  He made a decision and called his assistant. “Phil, call it a night.  I just talked to Rogers in Dakota, he’s sending a progress report.  I want it on my desk by ten in the morning.  I might have to go out of town.” 

         “Yes Sir, I’ll make sure you have it.  Goodnight Mr. Butler.”

         Todd got up and walked to the window.  He didn’t even register the sunset, he was so deep in thought.  “Why are they keeping you isolated, Buchanan?  Have you completely lost it or is something else going on?”  Suddenly he found himself remembering something that happened just before he called it quits as Tony Lord.  He saw again the car pulling up outside a building in the Compound.  He recalled the three men exiting the car, the third man being aided inside by the other two.  What was it Baker had said?  

        “There was one thing more.  We picked up our own shipment.  A man was given into our care.   Several of my colleagues handled the exchange.  I was unable to find out who the man was, but he was delivered to the compound this morning.”

        “Shit! They’ve got him.  The organization has Buchanan.”  Todd wanted to kick himself.  Viki and everyone thought Clint had gone off his rocker.  “I’ll bet everything I own, you were dosed, Buchanan, and now they have you the same way they have Victor.”

        He walked to his desk and closed down his computer.  He unlocked his top desk drawer and grabbed Tony Lord’s burner phone.  There were no missed calls.  “Damn it, Baker, why haven’t you called?”  He almost dropped the phone when it began to ring. 

        “Well if it isn’t the devil himself, it’s about time.  What the hell is going on?” Todd gritted his teeth. Talking to Baker lately, put him on edge. 

        “My, my, a little testy today aren’t we.  I must apologize for the lack of contact.  The new Director has had me working steadily.  And in answer to your next question.  Yes, Mr. Manning, Ms. Perkins is in charge.  I can’t stay on long, but I’ve been made aware that there are several guests in the compound who are now receiving some extra special treatment if you get my drift.  I felt you might like to know.” 

        Baker paused and Todd got the distinct impression that Baker had deliberately inferred back to his own special treatment, just to get a rise out of him. The man was a sadist.   What was he up to?  Before Todd could say anything, Baker continued. 

       “I also called to give you another bit of information.  It appears our Ms. Perkins has a brother and from what I gather, he’s probably the head of this organization.  I’m sorry, that’s all I can give you at this time.”

        “Baker, I think I know who they’re holding but I need confirmation.  Do whatever you have to, but get me that information.  I’ll get someone else to work on tracking down the brother.” That uneasy feeling that had raised it’s ugly head as Baker talked, prompted Todd to add, “One other thing, and it’s just a reminder, but you work for me.  I trust you’ll think carefully about that and all it entails.” Todd hung up.  He had entered a pact with the devil, and now he was beginning to regret it.
  
****

         The rising sun cast light into the room where Todd lay.  He stared at the ceiling, letting Blair’s silky gown slide in and out of his fingers. After the nightmare, it had given him a sense of peace, as if she was there, keeping him anchored.  Now in the light of day, he found his thoughts going over the parts of his dream that had remained etched in his brain. The room, the torture, and his tormentor Baker; were the constants in every nightmare. Was Blair right?  Had he put his trust in someone he should have stayed far away from.  Was his subconscious trying to warn him?

         Todd rolled over and sat on the edge of the bed.  You know what you need to do, but Blair will kill you if she finds out you’re even thinking about it.  He could call her, but that wouldn’t solve his problem.  Danger be damned, go for it.  His decision made, he got up and prepared to go into the office.  

         Phil was hard at work when he entered the OTB premises.  He walked up to her desk. “Did you get the fax from Rogers?”

         “Yes, Sir.  I’m compiling the information and should have it ready for you shortly.” Phil replied.

         “Good, bring it in when it's finished, and get me Sam Vance on the phone.”

         “Mr. Butler, it’s five in the morning in California.”

         Todd held up a hand to stop any further conversation. “I don’t care.  I don’t pay her to sleep.  Wake her, it’s important.”  He walked into his office.  Phil had proven to be quite a find.  Not only was she efficient, but she made great coffee and today was no exception.  He walked to the carafe on his bar that had just finished brewing and poured himself a large mug.  After the night he had had, he needed it.  Taking a quick sip, he walked to his desk.  If he was going to do what he had planned, he needed to take some steps to ensure nothing went wrong.  Before he got too far along with his plans, Phil interrupted him.

          “I have Sam Vance on the line, Sir”

          “Put her through….Sam, what the hell kind of operatives do you have working for you?  Why didn’t you tell me Alison Perkins had a brother?  What? …..I don’t want to hear excuses.  No information about that nutcase is unimportant.  Find out more about the brother?  He might be the man in charge and I need his name.”  He hung up and reach for his coffee.  Sam would get the answer he wanted, of that he was sure.  She had a little soft spot for him, in her mercenary heart, and he intended to take advantage of it.

        Getting back on his private phone, Todd made his final plans and was finishing up when Phil entered.  Holding out his hand he accepted the papers she had prepared. He studied them for a moment, then looked at Phil.   “I’m headed out of town.  I should be back tomorrow or the next day.  Don’t worry about reaching me, where I’m going doesn’t really have cell activity.  I’ll reach you if I need anything.  If Ms. Vance calls back, I’ll get her information on my return. Understood?”

        “Yes, Mr. Butler.  Any messages for Ms. Cramer if she calls?”

        Todd smiled, “Just tell her I’m out of town and I’ll call her back later.  That’s all.  Hold down the fort.”  With that, he headed out the door.  If everything went as planned he’d be contacting Blair sooner rather than later.

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